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Sports

Prpick has high hopes for Vikings hockey

University of Alberta Augustana Vikings men’s hockey team captain Dean Prpick wants to end his final season with the club and his first as captain on a winning note.

Prpick, a 25-year-old utility player who sees shifts on both offence and defence, said the Vikings have the ability to win the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) championship this year giving him and his team their fourth medal in four years. He said the club has a lot of depth, which should bode well during their long 32-game season and hopeful playoff run.

“We don’t really have any weak spots,” said Prpick, who served as an assistant captain with the team last year. “I guess our weakness is that I wouldn’t say we have that number one line or number one defenceman. Everyone is going to have to show up every night to really give us a chance.”

Prpick said he isn’t a vocal guy in the dressing room, so his plan is to lead the young team through his example on the ice. He said this is the first time that he can remember he has ever been captain before, including his time playing minor hockey with Davidson, but there are many other voices available in the room to contribute if more help is needed.

“We have a lot of leaders in our room,” he said. “It’s nice to have the ‘C’, but there are a lot of guys that could definitely have it.”

Blaine Gusdal, head coach of the Vikings, said Prpick was the right choice to lead the team onto the ice this year because he is a quality person and approaches everything as a consummate professional.

“He works extremely hard in the classroom and he’s basically been successful in any challenge that comes his way, so being a fifth-year guy and one of our top players it was a very easy choice,” said Gusdal. “It was ratified by every single guy on the team where they thought he was the perfect pick as our captain for this year.”

Gusdal said a captain is picked after the coaching staff looks at the “big picture” of what an individual brings to the whole program and not just the on-ice product. He said key players past and present are consulted as to what direction is needed in the dressing room and Prpick stood out as the guy who could best bring the Vikings, which features a few new top-end forwards from the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL), into contention for their second gold medal in three years this season.

“In Dean’s four years we’ve been in the final four all four years after not being in the playoffs previously,” he said. “It’s definitely been a turnaround and that is a testament to the kinds of players that we have. Dean is one of those guys and at the top of the list, so he’s been fortunate. He’s been here for four very good years and the goal right now is to make this fifth one very special.”

Prpick said it’s a “nice honour” to be named captain by his teammates and coaches, but the squad still needs to get results on the ice if it’s going to be a success. He said the good thing is everyone is fresh and excited to start a new year after their bronze medal finish last season, so the job of leading the team to another medal makes his job a little less worrisome.

“It’s much easier for me,” he said. “We definitely have the squad to win a championship this year.”

Davidson, featured

Ratepayer concerned over Grant St. tree removal

A concerned ratepayer sat down at the council table last Tuesday during the town leaders’ monthly meeting to express her concerns about the removal of a tree on Grant Street.

Jeannie Allan said she chose to address council with her concerns because she was disappointed to see a “nice healthy tree” taken down on her street when there was no grounds for its removal. She said if this tree came down there is also a concern about whether town council might be thinking of removing more trees as well.

“Really what I wanted to come up with is a comprehensive plan with some policies in place regarding some of the trees in town, so that we protect some of the big trees and not take them down,” said Allan, who spoke to council solely on her own behalf. “I don’t want to see the existing trees being taken down unless they are diseased.”

Allan said the town has done a “good job” planting boulevard trees, but there are many more streets that need large canopy trees. She said there are better choices than poplars.

“I understand that the poplars were not the best choice back 40 years ago when they were planted, but just because they were planted in the wrong spot and now they have matured and are lifting the sidewalk, the damage is already done,” she said. “Taking that tree down to me did not solve anything because the sidewalk is still lifted whether the tree is there or not and the roots in the lawn will be there for a very long time. That problem is not solved either.

“I believe public trees should not be removed until a certified arborist examines the trees and makes the educated decision. If the town is worried about tree roots in the sewer system than then it should be the sewer pipes that are repaired.”

Allan said roots only cause damage to the sewer lines that are old and leaking and if the roots don’t find moisture they do no damage. She said money should be spent on repairing sewer lines and not sidewalks or the expense of removing healthy trees.

The large poplar tree in question was located on town property on Grant Street between Second Street and Government Road and was removed by Davidson public works employees the week of Sept. 9 after council made a motion at their Aug. 20 meeting to look at trees that are affecting infrastructure in the town.

Clayton Schneider, mayor of Davidson, said it was not a council decision to take down the tree and he is unhappy that it was removed in the way it was, but it is likely the tree would have eventually come down anyways. He said the motion at the Aug. 20 meeting was solely to determine which trees are damaging streets and sidewalks in town and no action was supposed to be taken on any of them yet.

“Someone jumped the gun on it,” said Schneider, noting the plan was to remove all the problem trees in one shot and not take them down haphazardly. “It was supposed to be decided at (the Sept. 17) meeting, but with that said it was damaging infrastructure so the decision would have probably been the same.”

To read more please see the Sept. 23 print edition of The Davidson Leader.

Davidson

Tennent resigns from council

Here we go again.

Voters in Davidson will be heading to the polls this fall to elect a new town councillor for the second time since the general municipal election last October.

Logan Tennent announced his resignation as a town councillor effective Sept. 20 at the monthly council meeting last Tuesday. Tennent said he chose to resign from council because he wants to apply for the vacant Davidson town foreman position.

“I very much enjoyed my time on council and I’m very grateful for the support from the taxpayers, especially the 242 who voted for me,” said Tennent. “This foreman opportunity is something that I can’t (pass up). I have to apply for this job just because it is the best (opportunity) for me and for my growing family. If council is something I have to resign from in order to do that, that is something I am willing to do.”

No date has been set for the call for nominations for a councillor. If more than one person applies for the position, a byelection would be held. A date for the byelection has also not been set.

To run for the vacant councillor position, a candidate has to have lived in Davidson for at least three months and in Saskatchewan for six months before the byelection date. A candidate must also be 18 years of age and a Canadian citizen.

To nominate a candidate, a person must own land in town, but doesn’t actually have to live here. Five electors must sign the nomination form.

Clayton Schneider, mayor of Davidson, said Tennent would be “missed” around the table as he was a productive councillor, but his departure should not interfere with current town business.

“Everything will go on as usual,” said Schneider. “There will be a byelection and we’ll see who applies.”

Sports

Lions, Sabers and Bisons tackle opposition

The first week of the high school senior boy’s football season is behind us with three teams showing their opposition they need to step up their game if they hope to compete for a playoff spot come middle October in the tough 1A Conference Three football league.

Raiders vs. Lions

On a warm and sunny mid-September Thursday afternoon the Davidson Raiders senior boys football team made the arduous four-hour bus journey to the Lion’s Den to line up against a strong Gull Lake team.

Blair Frederickson, coach of the Raiders, said the taxing bus ride played a factor in his team’s 83-19 loss to the Lions with the opposing club’s physical play also proving a major contribution. He said the first half was extremely difficult for his team as they went down 56-6 heading into the break and suffered a few key injuries to their starters along the way.

“I don’t think we were prepared for the physicality of how they came at us and blew us away,” said Frederickson. “That and trying to get off that bus and trying to get our legs under us and get going probably did us in more than anything else.”

Frederickson said the club lost middle linebacker and offensive end Vanner McDonnell to a broken leg and quarterback Mike Kowalski to a twisted ankle during the second quarter due to a few hard hits by the Lions. He said after the half a decision was made to go with their younger guys because of their short bench.

“In the second half the score was actually 27-13 and two of my Grade 9s, Andrew Read and Addison Ouellette, scored touchdowns for us,” he said. “That was promising with a short bench and with a limited number of bodies.

“It’s a good future for our program getting those Grade 9s in. The second half, with some of my (Grade) 12s banged up, I went with the young guys and they played well. They stuck their nose in there and gave a good effort.”

Lions head coach Neil Boutin said his team has a seasoned offence with four starters from last season that were able to spread the ball around and keep the Davidson defence guessing during the game. He said they were also able to use their blocking to spring skilled and speedy players into the Raiders zone resulting in a few scores.

“Building on a quick lead in the game allowed us to get all of our players in to play meaningful minutes,” said Boutin. “We had a number of Grade 9 and 10 kids who logged some quality time in the game. They made some mistakes, especially on defence, but they also learned a lot about what it takes to play in a high school football game.”

To read more please see the Sept. 23 print edition of The Davidson Leader.

Davidson

Davidson Swimming Pool committee wins $25,000 towards new pool and Rider Pride party

The new Davidson Swimming Pool committee won $25,000 towards the construction of a new pool Sept. 14 from the Richardson Pioneer Rider Nation Community Celebration contest and is hosting a $10,000 party this Sunday to celebrate.

The Pool committee’s bid came in third place out of 29 total submissions to the contest thus securing the prize. Davidson finished behind Dalmeny, who took first place and $50,000 towards their bid for a playground, soccer pitch and picnic area for the town, and Moosomin, who won $25,000 for the construction of a football field and upgrades to their communiplex.

The contest challenged each of the submissions to show their passion for local health and wellness initiatives as well as their spirit for the 101st Grey Cup Festival.

New Davidson Swimming Pool committee member Laura Williams said they submitted a video and essay detailing their project, community, Rider pride and Grey Cup spirit in the middle of July. The group found out they made the top-eight Aug. 17, when an on-line voting period began to determine the top-three winning bids.

“It was about three weeks to vote and that is when we got tons of community support and people really on board with the voting to get us into the top-three,” said Williams. “It’s been fantastic how many people were sending it on to friends and family elsewhere to get them voting for us as well.”

Williams said they didn’t know they had a winning bid until they were presented with the third-place prize during a halftime show at the Roughriders 31-29 loss to the Toronto Argonauts Sept. 14 at Mosaic Stadium. She said they were also given $10,000 to host a Richardson Pioneer Rider Nation Celebration party in Davidson this Sunday to coincide with the Riders game against the Alouettes in Montreal.

“Part of what Richardson (Pioneer) wanted was for us to provide entertainment, food (and) beverages for everyone,” she said. “We’ll have a pancake breakfast and a barbecue and show the game along with some entertainment. There’ll be lots of fun things for the kids. Gainer is coming (and) some Rider alumni.”

The event will take place at the Davidson curling rink and be free to attend, but there will be a cost for the food and beverages, said Williams. The pancake breakfast starts at 9 a.m. and the festivities would go on until people are ready to go home.

“We’re hoping for a really big turnout.”

featured

Craik RCMP officer involved in fatal shooting

A member of the Craik RCMP detachment shot and killed a 42-year-old male last Wednesday while attending an unspecified criminal code investigation at a residence in Holdfast.

The officer went to the residence at approximately 10 p.m. and while there he and the resident of the home got into a physical altercation. During the fight the Craik RCMP member shot the resident, who died at the scene.

Later that night the RCMP requested the Regina Police Service conduct an independent external investigation into the circumstances surrounding the discharge of the firearm and the death of the Holdfast resident.

Sgt. Craig Cleary, a media relation’s officer with the RCMP, said requesting an independent external investigation is common in a “tragic incident” such as this and is done in the name of transparency and accountability. He said this ensures the investigation into the incident is done at arms length from the RCMP.

With the “Regina Police Service entering the investigation as an independent external investigation, they will look into why we were there and what happened,” said Cleary.

The Regina Police Service will be in charge of both the pre- and post-charge phases of the investigation and will report their results to the provincial Ministry of Justice and the Attorney General.

In addition to the independent external investigation, the RCMP has requested the Ministry of Justice appoint an independent observer.

Cleary said he couldn’t release any more information about the incident while the Regina Police Service investigation is ongoing.